davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-31
FANcY.s REALM.

With eyes half shut lie upon the sand,
And hear the waters whisper to the land.
And in the east, through fame and gold. Is born
The glowing radiance of the sunlit morn.
Far on the light gilds q soft swelling sail
That like q lessening star grows slowly pale;
And lazily along low-crested waves
solitary gull its white breast laves-
On sloping hills the daisy blossoms show
Their harmony of blended sun AID snow;
And from cool sweeps of meadow sweetly ring
The choral notes that joyous warbiers sing.
Here, where the earth and ocean rightly meet,
I lie at ease, and murmurs strangely sweet
Ring through my soul, weird notes that rise from
where
The mermaids sing, and comb their yellow hair.
have dim dreams of wondrous melodies,
9Jsy tawny Tritons blown down sapphire seas,
That girt some island lying fair and lone
In the glad splendor of the Tropic zone.
Then fades the present and wander far
Through lands where cities shine out like STAR
Great cities, crowned and glorious with famA>
Whose only memory is sounding name.
see the Assyrian maidens wander Ca
Beside the terraced heights OF Babylon,
And breast the lubiant wave of hunaan foam
That greet the triumph-son Of ancient Rome.
pass where with slow steps, the pilgrims gray
Toward Jerusalem hold their silent way;
Apd distant far see spire and minaret
Rise in their grandeur over Olivet
hear the merry laugh as plumcs advance
Along the shaded ways of sunny France,
Where winsom0 ladies sway, with dainty
charms,
The swords and shields of mighty men-at-arms.
Where su1try Java swefters in the sea,
I watch bright birds fit on from tree to tree;
While in the fading pomp of ruins old
The Royal flowers of Ind their leaves unfold
Across the waters OF the ocean vast,
J. in the Mayhower, speed before the blast,
And reach the unknown shores that sternly rise
Beneath the gloom OF wild, tempestuous skies.
For me the wheat-1 fields ripen in the plain,
And hillside orchards crown the sweet refrain
OF winds, made cool by restless wanderings
where
The snow crest CLEANS in upper heights Of air.
The world and all that It has known is mine;
For me the grape grows rich with crimson wine !;
And caravans, with sweetly tinkling bells,
Gather at eve by cool, palm shaded wells
And slowly from the earth there fades away
The clash of swords and battle-trumpets' bray;
And angel hosts, that wing the world above,
With loud hosannahs swell the songs of love.
And lying here Idream of that glad time
When Joyous bells shall ring in every Cline
And crumbling ramparts slumber in sweet rest,
And frownin9 cannon hold q sparrows nest.
Thomas s. Collier, IN Youths Companion.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-31
THE LONDON OLD LADY.
oliver Wendell Holmes Sings Her Praises
I'm No Uncertain Strain.


I'm No Uncertain Strain.
The afternoon tea is almost a neces-
sity in London life. 1t is considered
useful as "a pick me up" and it serves
an admirable purpose in the social sys-
tenn. 1t costs the household hardly
any trouble or. expense. 1t brings
people together in the easiest possible
way, for ten minutes or an hour, just
as their engagements or fancies may
settle it A cup of tea ut the right
moment does for the virtuous reveler
all that Falstaff claims for good
sherr-is-sack. or at least the first half Of
its ''twofold operation:' at ascends
me into the brain; dries me there all
the oolish and dull and crudy vapors
which environ it; makes it apprehen-
sive, quick. forgetive, full of nimble,
fiery and delectable shapes, which de-
liyered over 10 the voice. the tongue,
which is the birth, becomes excellent
witt
But it must have the right brain
to work upon, and doubt if there is
any brain to which it is so cOngenial
and from which it brings so much
ns that of first-rate London old
ady. 1 came away from the great
city with the feeling that this
most complex product of civilization
was no where else developed to such
perfection. The octogenarian London
ess has been in society-let us say the
highest society-all her days. She is as
tough as an old macaw, or she would
not have lasted SO long. She has seen
and talked with all the celebrities of
three generations, all the beauties of
Mt least half dozen decades. Her wits
have been kept bright by constant use,
and as she is free of speech. it requires
some courage to face her. Yet NO body
can be more agreeable, even to young
persons, than one of these precious old
dowagers. A great beauty is almost
certainly thinking how she looks while
one is talking with her; an authoress il
waiting to have one praise her book;
but grand old lady, who loves Lon
don society, who lives in it, who I'M
derstands young people and all sorts of
people, with her high-colored recollec-
tons of the past and her grand-mater-
nal interests in the lew generation, n
the best of companions. especially over
> cup of tea Just strong enough to sti'
up her talking ganglions.-Ot;ceT Yea
del: Holmes. 50 Att0sstSc.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-31
Gould Waste No More Time.

In front of the theater in Memphis.
Two men from Hatchie bottoms
.'Bill. goin' ter the show?"
Bill-Whar's any show, Zeb?
Zeb-(panting)-In thar.
Bill-Whut air they shown? Big
years O. con an SIGH?
Zeb-Oh, no; er Teller named Booth,
1 hear 'em say, is shown er trick he
calls Hamlet" Coin ter see it?
Bill-No, 1 b'leve not / went ter
the colt show over at Bolivar las week,
an had a shindig ut my house night
afore las, an l don't reckon ken
afford ter waste no more rrme on fool
ishness till airter get my con land
broke up.-Ark0nSaU TraUeler.
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-31

The French company which is put
ting telegraph lines in AMMAN finds
itself confronted with a serious diff
Guilty. Recently one of the lines ceased
working, and party was sent out to
locate the break. At the gates of an
Annamite village the Frenchmen were
met by an amiable deputatIon OF the
inhabitants 1--WE are very poor, !"
said the head man of the village, "and
We have felt it necessary to take the
wires off the poles i'll our territory
and sell them; but in order that your
excellencies need not be subjected to
any inconvenience, We have replaced
the wire by the neatest bamboo rods
that we could find, az neatly fitted to-
gether. We trust that you viii be sat
isfied with the change"
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-31
AN THE SEAS MERCY.
Driven Through the Storm on .
Grinding Iceberg.

We were due south of Cape Horn,
and about one hundred miles from land
iasays Peter Nelson, an old whaler,)
when the wiad died away on us one
morning and left us heaving on u
heavy swell, with five or six big ice
bergs in fun view. The calm came
about ten o'clock in the morning, and
ut that time the nearest berg, which
will venture 90 say covered as much
space as Il village of two thousand in
habitants, was four miles off. Before
. noon we had drifted toward each other
until we were two miles apart; but
then the same current seemed to catch
us, and we drifted away to the west in
company, neither increasing nor lessen
ing the two miles distance. The day
was raw and chilly, though the sun
shone brightly. and the air was so clear
that the men on our decks soon made
out some animals moving on the berg
1t had swung around n bit, showing a
new face, and when the captain had
taken look with his glass he informed
us that he could make out two polar
bears and several small animals, which
he believed to be Arctic foxes. We had
been without fresh meat for many
months, and an appeal was made for
one of the boats to be permitted to go
of and kill the bears. The weather
had steady look. and after some hest
tation the captain permitted the third
mate to take four men and pull off.
The name of the mate was Mr.. Wharton
and the mvu were George Smith,
George Olson, Bill Green and myself
We took along muskets and harpoons,
and pulled away. rejoicing that We
were to have an adventure.
There was but little field ice, and we
had no difficulty in avoiding the occa-
sional great cakes and pieces broken
from the bergs. We pulled with such
a will that we were soon up to the berg,
and it did not take us long to find out
that the captain was right. On sort
of shelf thirty or forty feet above the
water we discovered the bears, but as
soon as they noted our presence they
tscampered along the shelf until hidden
behind n projection. II you never saw
an iceberg it will be hard to make YOU
understand just what they are. This
o one stood up one hundred and fifty feet
out of water at its highest point. The
surface was cut up into ravines, hills,
towers, and all sorts of inequalities,
and these inequalities extended down
and along every side. There were q
dozen places where the sun was melting
the ice so that streams of water were
trickling down, and the waves were
breaking along one whole side and
throwing spray fifteen feet HIGH.
presume some OF the lady passengers
on an ocean steamer passing two or
three miles away might have called it a
grand sight, but as We reached the base
of the berg it seemed to us to be about
as ugly an object as the sea could bear
up. We Were on the lee side, of
course, and as the bears scampered
along we pursued until We found their
further progress stopped by a high
cliff, up which nothing could make its
way. We could come up within half
pistol shot, and the mats and Smith
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-03-31

If an italian fire-engine gets out Of
the house and reaches a fire four
squares away inside of fifteen minutes
the populace yells with delight. and the
papers remark that it is the Lightning
age.
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18

The Rev. David Swing, in the
American Magazine. says: The pro.
b|em of America is all educational.
Ways and means must be devised for
leading onward those millions whose
creation is begun. Ideas of indus.
try, honesty. economy, piety and even
of human nobleness must be impart-
ed. On must 90 the educational
chariot; its wheels in light. Every
Clergyman, every Christian, every
teacher, every good writer. every
kind heart, must take courage
from the fact that under all this
Transformation Of the human race
lies that arm which began the task
of making man. That this work will
be at last fully accomplished none
need doNbt. The words, "Lct ma
make man in our own image" will
be kept TO the last letter.
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18
Opening and Locking Bayou
PEa4uenliMe.

Editor St. Nartinsville Messeneer:
Having been appointed by the
Police Jury of this parish, also by
the parishes of Iberia and St. Mary
to ascertain the commerce of the
Teche country, l feel it my duty to
inform the people of the objects and
aims Of the same.
lst. TO open and lock Bayou
Plaquemlne so as to give a certain
safe and expeditions route to New
Orleans, instead of the long and te-
dlors route by the AtchalaIaya that
we have at present
"a. 10 improve the navigation of
Bayou Teche, and to extend it if
necessary, 10 the junction of Port
Barre.
TO effect this it is absolutely neces-
sary that we should know the actual
commerce of the country, SO as to
be able to prove to the congress Of
the United States and the whole
country that it IL of sufficient i'm
pertance 10 Justify congress 10
making the necessary appropriation.
1t is for this purpose and no other |
have been appointed by the Police
Juries of the different parishes. To
enable ne TO effect this object it
is necessary that should have the
active and Jealous cooperation of all
our citizens. Grant me this, and
| pledge myself to make such re.
port to your Police Jury as will sat.
lsty the most skeptical.
Ihe advantages to be derived is
that it will give you much shorter,
safer and expeditive route to New
Orleans than by the Atchafalaya,
and through competition between
the steamboats, and the railroad,
much cheaper freight than you have
at present. l believe furthermore,
that it will eventually solve the At
chafalaya problem. and protect our
people from all danger of the Missis-
sjppi river coming down the Atchafa-
laya and flooding the whole country.
| am certain it will greatly accee-
rate the improvement and develop
ment OF our country.
E. T. KING.
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18
RObbing the School Children

The Farmerville Gazette com
menting upon the "Easton Ratland
Grab" gives the following table to
show how the children Of the State
have been robbed, with the knowl-
edge and recommendation of the
State officials.
What Rutland collected: From
our exchanges we ascertain the diff.
fcrent amounts collected from the
State Treasury by Rutland, of
which the following sums were re-
tanned by him, from the several par.
isheS for his "rrcat and ora nd work y
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18
knights Of MOnSr-Its influence
ia Com m uni ities and LD0n
Society.

1
| work as beneficiary society; but it
has also exerted a wonderful inhu-
| snce for good in communities. It,
ritual is beautiful system of moral
instructive lessons, presented in such
manner that they not only impress
themselves forcibly. but they admon.
lsh the initiate to noble deeds of
humanity. Its members are taught
that one of the first duties of men
is to care for those dependcnt upon
him; that oil good men and good
citizens are so much their brothers
keeper, that they must DO whatever
lies in their power to better the con-
dition of those around them. They
are taught that they are to certain
extent responsible for the good of
the community.
Its members are impressed with
their duties 10 their felIow-men, and
especially to q brother knight of
Honor. Members in distress or out
Of employment, arc cared for and
employment is sought for them. A
bro,herly y interest," is felt for one an
other, and one in adversely finds will
ing hands and sympatiizing hearts
that are ready md anxious to lif:
him up and give him words of en-,
couragemeut and needed assistance.
Men learn that it is not unmanly to
be dependent. and that it is emo.
bling to be fraternal and charita BILE.
The cultivation Of this fellow feel
ing; this love for the betterment of
humanity; this suppression of selfish
ness; this desire to help others, is
the leaven which permeates commu-
mites and elevates society. The toll
ing husband and father, who was
only able to feed and clothe the
wife and little ones, and who was
never able TO own the roof which
sheltered hun and his, but who, by
a pittance paid each month for
few years to his lodge. has left
home unincumbered and something
to feed those he has left on this side
the river, has given an example,
which, seen by his neighbors must
impress them, and incite them to
like deeds of human kindness.
No community can support lodge
of Knights of Honor without ex-
perlenclng its good Influences. No
man, unless he be false to his prom
ises and false to himself, can be a
Knight Of Honor without being
better for it, and feeling his obliga
tions to the community and society.
He will 60 out TO use his best en-
deavors for the betterment of both.
He can only be consistent Knight
of Honor 10y being better citizen,
and doing all he can to advance the
interests of his community aud eIe-
vate its society.
You know death is certain and
may come at any hour. You love
your wife and children, and yet you
are content to jog on day after day
and run the chances of leaving the
ones you love to the cold charities
Of an unsympathizing world, when
the outlay of only a few dollars
monthly would, in case anything
happen to you, secure to them the
nice little sum Of two thousand dol
lars, snosgh to make them comfort
able for many years. Is there any
wisdom in this? Every good thing
has its enemies, every town its croak-
ers, but it is the part OF wise men
to consider their own interest re-
gardless. of what others may say.
The knights of Honor offers you
absolute protection in case of death. |
Will Won NOT accent tha offar2
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18

In the above, cents were omitted.
This is as far as we are able to get
the amounts, but let our State ex-
changes keep the ball rolling" and
by this means find out, Just for bun
comb,' the amount that our enter
prising lawyer has got, so our of
cials can see what their negligence
has cost the school children of our
State.
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18

Congressman McAdoo, of New
Jersey, well known az personal
and political friend of Mr.. Randall,
has been talking about political
prospects. He says that Mr.. Ran.
kali will not be a candidate for
Speaker of the House, and Mr.. Car.
Isle will be reelected; that the
tariff can be reduced if the Speaker
will form the Ways and Means Com
mittee by the exclusion OF "extrem-
ists' on both sides; that there will
probably be one hundred amend
ments offered to the Interstate Com.
merce act, and he expects that the
commission feature will be repealed.
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18

Transient advertisements, Sl.o0 per
inch first insertion. Each subselent in-
.ertion, so cents per inch. ..
Announcing candidates for Office, $1,000
in advance. Ward offices, $500 in advance.
Death and marriage notices, when not
over six lines, published free. Obituaries.
resolutions of respect, etc, will be charged
for at regular advertising rates.
Articles of a personal nature, when ad-
missible. will be charged double price.
No notice taken of anonymous commu-
n;cations. In all cases we reQuirg the
writer's name and address. not necessarily
for publication, but as "A guarantee OF
rood faith. We will undertake to preserve
or return rejected manuscript. In no way
will We be responsible for the views and
opinions of our correspondents.
The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-06-18

Entered at the Post Office, Abbeyille, La.
as second class matter.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-06-30
THE MAN WHO LAUGHS.
Why no WIN Live Longer Than lis Mel

Why Io VIII Live Longer Than Ills Mel
ancholy brother.
81 remember" said anlold physician
of Baltimore, lately, 'that + travelled
in 1888 in stage coach across the
Allegheny mountains from Cumber-
land to the Ohio river. In the coach
were two friends. young men and law
yers, who were getting out to settle In
Western Pennsylvania We became
well acquainted in the long, leisurely
journey. Both of my fcllow-travelers
were men Of ability and culture; both
had good breeding and kindly disposi.
ton. But their Compartments werc
widely different c. never joked,
and rarely smiled. II allanghable
story was told, he listened silently,
thought over it an hour, and thon be-
gan to argue againstits probability. II
the morning was cloudy. he was sure
Of storm before night; II the harness
broke, he was positive VIC would be do
tanned all day; IL the coachman drove
fast, he knew tho man was drunk, and
that our necks would be broken.
M, on tho contrary. was a merry,
light-hearted fellow, full Of anecdote
and quick repartee. The weather was
always delightful for him. the meals
delicious, his companions tho finest
company in tho world. He saw every
point in the landscape. every fine out
line in the trees, or tint In the fields.
Hc was like bee. gathering drop Of
honey here, another there. His COM
rade never knew that there was honey
to gather When they left us. l said
There goes one man to success; the
other to defeat.
II visited lately the city in which
they settled. and asked their history,
being anxious to know whether my
prophecy had been correct. M is
still living, leading jurist a man Of
great and benignant influence. c.
was dead. Worried himself into the
grave, said On old man who remcm-
bcred him."
The rule is unfailing- given two mon
of equal talents, health and fortune;
the ono who laughs will live longer
than the other and accomplish NOR 0
work in the world. Gayety Of tempera-
ment usually comes at birth. but cheer
fulncss can be cultivated.
ut is the only virtue" tho late
James Fields used to say, ''that you
should affect, II YOU have 1t not. So
much you owe to your neighbor."
"Thc man." says Sidney Poyntz,
''who, with heavy heart, turns per-
sistently a cheerful face to tho world,
will presently feel warmth aud light
come to his heart. which shall remain
there - Youths Companion.
Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-06-30
EGYPTIAN GARDENS.
Tho Smiling Aspect OF tho valley OF ths
Nile In the Month of March.

Tho Smiling Aspect OF tho valley OF ths
Nile In the Month of March.
At the beginning Of March the gar
dens Of Egypt are really wonderful;
the orange and lemon trees spread
their most pungent odors; the rose
trees are covered with innumerable
flowers; the palms, with the green and
white crowns. swing there in the
wind; the oleanders there border tho
avenues, on the lawns anemones, an
nual and perpetual Towering pinks.
chrysantheTums. violets, zinnias, peri
wrinkles. snap-dragons, mignonettes.
pansies and petunias blend their IN
Vulnerable colors with the green Of
the trees, bushes and shrubs. Groups
OF bamboo lift here and there their long
green or golden stems, crowned with
an immense plume of pretty little
trembling leaves. One comprehends,
on seeing these stems, which assume
In few months enormous proportions.
the cruelty ingenious punishment Of
the Chinese in binding a criminal to a
young bamboo. The plant grows, and
the wretch is quartered in afew weeks.
No wood is lighter or more useful than
that of the bamboo. One does not un
derstand why the Egyptians neglect to
plant it along the canals and on every
cultivated land. where it grows so we'll.
But what gives, at least during winter
and spring. the most smiling aspect
to the Egyptian gardens arc
the great sheets Of rose bougain-
villcas that cling to the walls,
thc trees and groups Of foliage.
and which display everywhere tho
varied and exquisite tints of their
flowers. The bougainvilleas is cer-
tainly the finest of climbing plants.
During five months 1t flowers under
the winter sun, takes shades Of ex'
.treme delicacy-one might say light
rose trail, the intensity of which
every play of light varies. The aloes
the agaves attach themselves OF
rocky slopes. On the banks of the
watercourses the blue lotus and the
papyrus still revive antique reminis
cences. Grass can not be raised IL
Egypt. The layer of soil is so thil
that the sun drys itup Immediately, ant
unless the grass be constantly
submerged, it turns yellow ant
perishes at once. 1t is not tho hea
alone that produces this result, for ther'
is very much fine grass in the tropics
but the heat accompanied with tn
shallowness Of the soil, renders tn
culture of grass impossible in Egypt
1t is with much difficulty that a fey
isolated blades of grass sprout durin,
winter along the Nile and the canals
they disappear % soon as spring be
gins, SO that every where In the countr
where artificial cultivation finishes, tn
dry and bare desert begins. In tn
place Of grass pretty little vorber
acea is used, and this Is encountere
every where. the same as grass is CT
countered in America. Cor. Cticag
Journal